I think if Manning is healthy, the Colts should keep him on the roster as a starter. If the past season proved anything, its that Manning is probably the best QB in the league. Teams like the Patriots and the Steelers lose their quarterbacks and somehow continue to win games at a playoff level. The Colts lose Manning and are suddenly the second worst team in the NFL (I’d rate the Rams as worse, FYI). Andrew Luck is merely an elite quarterback prospect. If they want to win now, Manning gives them the best chance to do that, provided his health is sound.
That’s not to say they can’t take Luck and Manning, and the team’s owner would be a fool on to be thinking in that direction. Of course, that would still leave the problem of a terrible support cast due to bad draft picks.
Shadarr
6062
Is that the Rams who started the season, or the Rams at the end who were also without their starting QB, several offensive lineman and every cornerback they had in training camp?
No, what it proved is the Polians did not know how to build a team…as we saw how they got immediately fired today.
Manning is good, and WAS the best QB in the game as a technician, but he is no better than Brady or Brees.
We’ll have to differ on that assessment. I’d rate Manning better than those two, though perhaps not now with the neck issue and his age.
When the Patriots lost Brady they still went 11-5 under Cassells, who has since proven to be a decent but not a great QB with KC. When the Colts lost Manning it was an utter collapse.
Sarkus
6066
Apparently the Dolphins have involved former Chiefs “super-genius” Carl Peterson in their coaching search. He reportedly has been around for discussions with Fisher and Gruden.
Maybe if those guys fall through they can hire a Schottenheimer?
Lorini
6067
After all the ranting about the defense by Hue Jackson you would think he would have at least had the authority to fire the DC, but guess not…
I think since they have this number one pick, without having to trade up to get it, they need to replace Manning this year. They need to do what Green Bay did in replacing Favre with Rodgers and now is the best chance they have to do it.
Even if Manning could play again, which I don’t think he will, and even if he could be effective again, he’s not going to last. They will be replacing him anyways soon. So, strike while the iron is hot. There is a decent prospect available this year, they have the pick, they’re the worst team so they can only go up from here.
I realize players never want to hang it up, so it’s going to be a tough sell to Manning. But if I was the owner I’d try to steer everything that way.
The Colt’s need to retool their entire team. They can do that in short order if they trade the pick. However, if the conventional wisdom is true and no price is too high to pay for a franchise quarterback, then they have to take Luck. They can’t trade Manning unless Manning agrees to restructure - and Manning will only go to certain teams. That’s probably the most likely scenario, although personally I don’t think Manning will play again, that’s a nasty neck injury he has, but time will tell.
Re: The Patriots and winning teams. That’s a bit misleading, I think. They played the Jets in NY after dropping two in a row. At that time NE had all but been written off. They won handily. They played a Denver team who had won six straight, and not a few of those turnovers were forced turnovers. They’ve been in every game they’ve played, even the Steeler game where they were dominated.
Is their defense bad? Yeah. But they do get turnovers and are middle of the pack in points against. Still, even if they get to the Superbowl, they stand little chance against the Packers or the Saints. But in a league where the Ravens can lose to the Jags, the Saints lose to the Rams and the Packers lose to the Chiefs, anything is possible.
Sarkus
6070
I’m personally looking forward to the Broncos/Lions Superbowl matchup in several weeks. You guys think Tebowmania is big now? Wait until then.
;-)
Lorini
6071
Dude if that happens I’m going to a friend’s house who lives in Oregon and play boardgames all day. There is no fucking way I’m watching a SB with Tebow in it.
The Colts have seriously not drafted well over the past few years. The O line is old, the run D has never been addressed, they have tried and failed to replace Addai (not that he’s terrible but Brown or Carter aren’t any better), and I am not sure how great any of the receivers are outside Wayne who is probably leaving and Pierre Garcon. That and mediocre coaching are why they arent remotely competitive with Manning and likely would have been a 9 win team at best this season.
I think though that it’s easier to put together all those other pieces, from trades, free agents, and lower level drafting, than it is to get a franchise quarterback in those ways. And while the Colts may be a lousy team for the next few years they can’t count on getting a number one pick again anytime soon. And even if they got another number one pick again, would a top QB prospect be there?
JonRowe
6074
The colts should just end up drafting Luck (if they feel that manning’s best years are over, all we can go off of is speculation) and have him ride the pine while letting manning play a year. Have Manning put the guy under his wing for a year or two, and then unleash the beast. It would be refreshing to see a first round draft pick QB not be thrown into the fire. But, the Colts did just that with Manning. Then again, I don’t know what type of contract Luck will get, and how much money they will have to be able to pay both.
The system worked with Aaron Rodgers, the only difference is, we got him for cheap, not in the first round.
Technically, you got him at #24 in the first round.
I can’t imagine what the Colts could possibly get for the #1 pick overall that would make it worthwhile to trade it. Granted, this season showed they’ve got a lot of issues, but drafting Luck would help resolve the big uncertainty at quarterback.
Sure, Luck could suck, and nothing is guaranteed, but that’s true of any draft choice, isn’t it? Trading away the first pick for a quantity of picks/players is the sort of crap that bad teams do.
Maybe Manning gets his nose all out of joint, but I say “so what?” Aside from the neck injury, you have to factor in that he’s 36 and will be coming back from a year off. Given all that, if I’m Indy, I’m picking Luck in a heartbeat. I would much rather be in the situation where I had a healthy Manning and Luck holding the clipboard than something like the Redskins who trot out Sexy Rexy and have John Beck as his backup.
I don’t think there’s enough data to really say, because the draft has been so lop sided the past 10 years that the #1 overall pick has lost its value year over year (in terms of picks). How many times have we heard over the past 5 years at least “No one is willing to trade up” or “Trading down requires a partner, and no one wants that pick”?
With the more sane slotted draft system the picks will suddenly become significantly more valuable.
A pretty good argument can be made that the Colts could make a run at someone like Flynn and then trade down their #1 overall to stock up on picks. Someone like Cleveland or Washington could move up without getting totally hammered on the exchange.
The #1 pick was overvalued for a long time, so it’s possible that it’s just returning to its proper valuation.
If you have a chance to get the best QB in the NFL, you do it. Take his whole contract. The Colts would be dumb to trade him but it’s not for cap reasons.
While I don’t have any examples off the top of my head, I think the opposite is true. Football is not like the NBA where a superstar turns a team into an instant playoff contender. Plus, teams have 6 rounds to pick players for a 56 man roster. A team like Cleveland could give the Colts their number 4 draft pick, and Atlanta’s first round pick (which the Browns got from Atlanta last year), and Colt McCoy so the Colts can have a real back up with the potential of being a starter… to say nothing of draft picks in later rounds and future drafts. With that level of talent, and presuming Maning stays reasonably healthy, you would probably be looking at a playoff contender next year, and a Superbowl contender in two.
Of course, that is presuming they draft well. Any draft pick can bust, but the more draft picks a team has, the more likely one or more of them turns to gold.
Maybe Manning gets his nose all out of joint, but I say “so what?” Aside from the neck injury, you have to factor in that he’s 36 and will be coming back from a year off. Given all that, if I’m Indy, I’m picking Luck in a heartbeat. I would much rather be in the situation where I had a healthy Manning and Luck holding the clipboard than something like the Redskins who trot out Sexy Rexy and have John Beck as his backup.
Indeed, I think this is what the Colts will do. This will in all likelihood settle the quarterback situation in Indianapolis. Now, the question becomes how do they fill all the other apparent holes in their teams?
